The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is proud to announce that it will present to world-renowned businessman and pro-Israel philanthropist Sheldon G. Adelson its most distinguished and historic award, the Theodor Herzl Gold Medallion for outstanding achievement in Zionism. The ZOA Dinner will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City, 42nd & Park, on December 13, 2009, (5PM reception, 6PM dinner). Some refer to this award as the “Nobel Prize in Zionism.” This magnificent Gold Medal is rarely given by the ZOA. Past recipients include Lord James Balfour, Sir Winston Churchill, President Harry Truman, Israeli Prime Ministers David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin, and Yitzhak Shamir. Mr. Adelson is the Chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. He and his wife Dr. Miriam Adelson are major supporters of Birthright Israel, Yad Vashem, the U.S. Holocaust Museum and numerous other Jewish/Israeli causes. They are also active politically, promoting strong U.S./Israel relations.
At the ZOA Dinner, Dr. Miriam Adelson will be receiving the Louis D. Brandeis Award. Past recipients include Vice President Joe Biden, Ambassador Moshe Arens, Abba Eban, Max Fisher, Justice Arthur Goldberg, Larry King, Elizabeth Taylor, Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, Ronald Lauder, Mort Zuckerman, Natan Sharansky, Simon Wiesenthal and Senators Rudy Boschwitz, Elizabeth & Robert Dole, John Heinz, Daniel Inouye, Jacob Javits, Daniel Moynihan, Arlen Specter and many others.
Dr. Adelson is an esteemed expert in drug rehabilitation and runs clinics in both Israel and the U.S. She is also a full partner in all of the Adelsons’ pro-Israel activities.
Morton Klein, President of the ZOA, will be presenting the awards to the Adelsons.
Speakers at the ZOA/Adelson Dinner include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (video), Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon, and Minority Whip U.S. Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia.
Robert Guzzardi, Esq., will be receiving the Moskowitz Award for Jewish Activism, presented to him by Mrs. Cherna Moskowitz, wife of Dr. Irving Moskowitz.
Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe will be receiving the Ben Hecht Award for Outstanding Journalism in the Middle East. Previous recipients include A.M. Rosenthal, Cal Thomas, Daniel Pipes, Caroline Glick, Itamar Marcus, Sidney Zion, and Joseph Farah.
The Emcee for the evening will be Mr. Gary Erlbaum, a leader in the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia, and the Jewish Agency. He was also former National Chairman of Young Leadership for Israel Bonds.
Introducing guests and presenting awards include Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; Martin Gross, President of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Henry Schwartz, officer of the ZOA Board; and Sandra Stein, Esq., member of the ZOA Board who is with the law firm of Coughlin Stoia.
Author and TV host Rabbi Shmuley Boteach will be giving the invocation and lighting the Chanukah candles. Rabbi Boteach has been called one of the top 10 influential rabbis in America by Newsweek magazine. Also writes a weekly syndicated column for the Jerusalem Post.
Any media personnel who wishes to attend please contact Morton A. Klein at 212-481-1500.